Segmented gameboard



Oct. 9, 1962 J. BAssETT SEGMENTED GAMEBOARD 2 Sheets-Sheetl Filed JunelO, 1960 f 2e 24g 26 2eS ggf as) INVENTOR JOSEPH L. BASSETT ze 2 2Q BYK, fc.

ATTORNEY Oct. 9, 1962A J. L. BASSETT SEGMENTED GAMEBOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet-2 Filed June lO, 1960 INVENTOR JOSEPH L. BASSETT ATTORNEY United StatesPatent Oiiice 3,057,624 Patented Oct. 9, 1962 3,057,624 SEGMENTEDGAMEBARD Joseph L. Bassett, 1128 Spruce St., Philadelphia 7, Pa. Filed.lune 10, 1960, Ser. No. 35,243 Z Claims. {(Ii. 27E- 136) This inventionrelates to gameboards, such as checkerboards and `the like, and moreparticularly to a gameboard which is segmented into a plurality ofinterlocked pieces to permit easy portability of the gameboard.

There is frequently a need and desire by game players, such as those whoplay checkers, chess, and the like, for a gameboard which may be easilycarried about. While it has been known to provide miniature gameboardsfor purposes of easy portability, such miniature gameboards are notsatisfactory for many purposes, with the result that most players preferto play on standard size garneboards. Under some circumstances, `such astournaments, and the like, standard size `garneboards are required.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a gameboardformed of a plurality of interlocking segments which may be easilydisassembled to permit carrying the gameboard -in a pocket of the playerwhen not in use.

lt is another object of this invention to provide a segmented gameboardwhich when assembled is of standard size.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a garneboard formedof interlocking segments so constructed as to prevent any relativemovement of the segments with respect to each other when the gameboardis in use.

In achievement of these objectives, there is provided in accordance withthis invention a gameboard such as a checker or chess board of standardsize and formed of a plurality of interlocking segments which may beassembled to form the complete board. Each segment includes tongue andgroove interlocking means on at least two mutually perpendicular edgeswhich are adapted to interlock with mating tongue and grooveinterlocking means on edges of adjacent segments to insure againstrelative movement of adjacent segments in directions parallel to the twomutually perpendicular edges of any given segment. Each segment alsoincludes a top ply portion which mates with corresponding top plyportions of adjacent segments to form a smooth playing surface for thegameboard. The top ply portion of each segment also `overlies theinterlocking tongue portions of adjacent interlocked segments to insureagainst relative movement of the segments in a plane perpendicular tothat of the gameboard.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan View of the segmented gameboard in accordance withthe invention in assembled relation;

FIG. 2 is an end view in vertical elevation of the gameboard lof FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a view in section along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a portion of the gameboard of FIG. 1,showing the relationship of the segments to each other;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of two adjacent segments of the gameboard;and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of one of thesegments of the gameboard.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a gameboard generallyindicated at 10 which in the illustrated embodiment is formed of eightinterlocked substantially rectangular segments respectively indicated at12, 14, 16, 1S, 20, 22, 24, and 26. The segments 12, 14, 16, and 18 arearranged in one transverse row, while the segments 20, 22, 24, and 26are arranged in a second transverse row. Each of the segments is a twoply member formed of card-board, plastic, or any other suitablematerial, including a base portion or bottom ply indicated at 28 and atop ply or playing surface portion indicated at 30. The bottom and topply portions 28 and 30 of each respective segment are secured to eachother in any suitable manner, as, for example, by the adhesive indicatedat 32 in FIG. 6.

The bottom ply 28 of each segment is provided along at least two of itsmutually perpendicular edges with interlocking tongues and grooves whichengage corresponding grooves and tongues of adjacent segments. The topply 30 of each segment is a fiat rectangular member without tongues andgrooves, and is so dimensioned as to overlie the entire main bodyportion of its corresponding bottom ply 28 and also to overlie thetongue-receiving slots formed in the underlying bottom ply portion 28 ofits respective segment along both mutually perpendicular edges thereof.

It will be understood that it is within the scope of this invention toform segments having structure equivalent to the two plys shown in thedrawings, but in a single unitary structure, rather than forming thesegments of two plys which are fastened together.

An important feature of the gameboard construction is the provision oneach of the segments of tongue and slot portions lying along twomutually perpendicular edges which engage corresponding slots andtongues in two adjacent segm'ents lying respectively parallel to the twomutually perpendicular edges of any given segment.

Thus, for example, segment 12 shown in FIG. 4 includes a pair of tongueportions 34 and 36 extending from the long edge thereof adjacent segment14 which mate with corresponding slots 38 and 40, respectively, of theadjacent segment 14. Also, segment 12 includes a tongue portion 42extending from its short edge shown in FIG. 4 adjacent segment 20 whichmates with a corresponding slot 44 in the adjacent segment 20 in thelower row of segments in the view shown in FIG. 4. Similarly, segment 14includes two tongues 46 and 48 which respectively mate with slots 50 and52 of the segment 12, while the segment 20 includes a tongue 54 in theshort edge thereof adjacent segment 12 which mates with a slot 56 in theadjacent short edge of segment 12.

The two inside segments 14 and 16 in the top row of segments withrespect to the view shown in FIG. 4, and the inside segments 22 and 24in the bottom row of segments, are each respectively provided withtongues and slots along each of their longer edges mating withcorresponding tongues and slots of the longer edges of the adjacentsegments, while the four outside segments 12, 18, 20 and 26 are providedwith slots and tongues along only one of their respective longer edges,while the other long edge of each of the respective segments 12, 18,2.1()5 and 26 lies along the outer boundary of the gameboard.

Each of the segments 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 has tongue andgroove portions lying along only one of its short edges to mate withcorresponding tongue and groove portions of the abutting short edges ofthe segments in the adjacent transverse row of segments.

It will be seen that the provision of the interlocking tongues and slotsalong at least one of the long edges of each of the segments andinterlocking with corresponding slots and tongues along the long edge ofan adjacent segment or segments prevents any relative movement ofadjacent segments in a direction parallel to the adjacent long edges ofthe segments; similarly, the interlocking tongue and grooves providedalong the short edge of each segment, mating with a corresponding tongueand groove on the short edge of an adjacent segment in the opposite rowof segments, prevents any relative movement of the segments in adirection parallel to the short edges of the segments. Furthermore, theoverlying top ply 30 which forms a part of each segment and which is sodimensioned as to overlie the slots formed in both the long and shortedges of each respective segment, and thus to overlie the tongues of theadjacent interlocked segments when the gameboard is in assembledrelation as shown in FIG. 1, prevents any tendency of the tongues tomove in a direction perpendicular to the plane f the gameboard out ofthe slots with which they are interlocked.

Thus, it will be seen that the provision of the interlocking tongues andslots along the long and short edges of each segment, together with theoverlying relation of the top ply of each respective segment to theinterlocking tongues of the adjacent segments, prevents any relativemovement of the segments with respect to each other in three differentdirections, and provides a three-dimensionly interlock of the assembledsegments when the gameboard is in use. Furthermore, when the pluralityof segments are assembled in interlocked relation as shown in FIG. 1 theplurality of top plies are in directly abutting relation to each otherto form a smooth, continuous gameboard surface.

In the illustrated embodiment, `and as will best be seen by reference toFIG. 5 of the drawings, most of the tongue portions are substantially inthe shape of a parallelogram having one edge 58 extending parallel tothe respective edge of the segment in which it lies, and a pair ofopposite spaced edges 60, 62 inclined at an angle A of approximately 30degrees with respect to edge 58. The outer tip of each tongue, as forexample, at the junction of edges 58 and 62 of the tongue, is blunted asindicated at 64 in FIG. 5, to avoid breakage of the tips of the tongueswhich might occur if the outer corner of the tongue were brought to asharp point. The slots which receive the tongue portions are shaped tomate with the tongue members just described. The tongue portionsadjacent the upper and lower margins of the gameboard, with respect to`the view shown in FIG. 1, have an inclined edge only at the end thereofdisposed away from the margin of the gameboard.

The inclined parallelogram shape of the interlocking tongues and slotsfacilitates the easy assembly and disassembly of the segments of thegameboard, since the inclined shape of the tongues and mating slotspermits ad jacent segments to be easily slid into or out of engagementwith each other.

While there has been shown and described a particular Cil l embodimentof the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatvarious modifications and changes may be made therein without `departingfrom the invention and, therefore, it is aimed to cover all such changesand modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of theinvention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A gameboard comprising a plurality of detachable linterlockeclsegments of generally rectangular shape, each of said segments includinga lower ply having two mutually perpendicular edges lying in a commonplane, interlocking means carried by the respective mutuallyperpendicular edges of the lower ply of each segment which engage matinginterlocking means carried by the lower plies of adjacent segments tohold said gameboard in assembled relation, and an upper ply carried byeach segment, the upper plies of the plurality of segments directlyabutting each other to form a smooth continuous playing surface when thegameboard is assembled.

2. A gameboard comprising a plurality of detachable interlocked segmentsof generally rectangular shape, each of said segments including a lowerply having two mutually perpendicular edges lying in a common plane,interlocking means carried by the respective mutually perpendicularedges of the lower ply of each segment which engage mating interlockingmeans carried by the lower plies of adjacent segments to hold saidgameboard in assembled relation, and an upper ply carried by eachsegment and so dimensioned as to overlie the interlocking means carriedby at least one of the mutually perpendicular edges of the respectivesegment and also to overlie the interlocking means of at least one ofthe adjacent segments mating with the interlocking means of therespective segment, to thereby resist disengaging movement of saidsegments in a direction perpendicular to said common plane, the upperplies of the plurality of segments directly abutting each other to forma smooth continuous playing surface when the gameboard is assembled.

1References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 150,735Whitcomb May 12, 1874 176,144 McDougall Apr. 18, 1876 841,366 Yorke Jan.15, 1907 2,418,287 Bennett et al, Apr. 1, 1947 2,497,341 Bisson Feb. 14,1950

